I rousted my kids from bed this morning so they could do the driveway -- the LONG driveway -- 'cause there was too much for the snowblower. My arms are tired now, I just got done raking the roof. Now the wind can blow and drift. And I can walk into work for a telecon.

It is absolutely beautiful outside. Breathtaking. Lots of branches down though. But so achingly beautiful.

I hated leaving Chicago for the friends and general goodwill I left behind, but this photo reminds me exactly of why I had to leave. I shut down in that hellaciousness (and I grew up in Windsor Ont., so there really isn't any excuse for me, I know!).

wv: "fisheutj" -- When Meade has to put down the shovel and stick his arm way into the snow (to the shoulder!) to "fisheutj" one of Althouse's earrings that her spirited sweeping caused to fly from her lobe. (Yes, the "j" is silent)

Waking up after a winter storm, realizing that quadrupled commute times meant I was already late for work, shoveling the end of the driveway -- and the massive mountain range the plow would create -- I dreamt of having a 4WD with a plow blade mounted on the front, to back into the garage at night.

Then in the AM, I would open the garage door, start up the 4WD, drop the blade, and plow my way into a traffic lane.

I dreamt of having a 4WD with a plow blade mounted on the front, to back into the garage at night

Ha.

To shovel snow out of the driveway, we use our 790 John Deere Tractor using the front bucket to scoop up and dump the snow to the side. Long driveway. We also do the neighboring houses when it snows and have to move the mounds of snow deposited in front of each driveway by the State snowplows. They always just plow the highway and leave a 3 to 4 foot berm in front of the driveway openings.

And a snow shovel to make a small path to the trucks that are parked outside and a path to the pump house where the food is.

It seems to me that the winters here have been getting more severe in the last 3 years or so(cold, freezing the ground deeper and lasting longer) than previously. I've lived here for over 25 years.

now i left the single most harmless comment ever on this post or the preceding one - something about ann wanting the kids to have to walk to school today (based on her post yesterday about a pre-emptive class cancellation). now my comment is gone. it showed as posted earlier. is it possible that comment was deleted?

I put the chains on the tractor (IH Farmall Model H), then mounted the snow plow and plowed just enough of the driveway to get in and out in case of emergency. Like if I run out of beer. Cold temps with wind.

Silly boy. Just do like we do.....fill the pump house or garage (as the case may be) with an emergency stash of beer, wine and booze so when it snows you can just walk on out to get refreshments. Of course for the beer, you do need to be sure the location doesn't get too cold. Beer slushies aren't my favorite.

"So, I was right about Meade and the brandy new, thermonuclear, ramjet snow blower."

Nope. We're using shovels... and a broom.

Careful of your backs - and Meade's heart (I know, you own it these days...). Meade looks like a lean, fit guy and you seem to be in good condition, as well, but circumspection is not a dirty word (are there any anymore?). My wife won't let me near snow since her brother has a snowblower and 2 sons - one 16, the other 17.

I know I sound like an old nag, but I've slipped enough on sidewalks (I depended on SEPTA to get into Philadelphia and everything else was close enough to walk) and The Blonde has 40+ years of horror stories of men doing themselves in clearing snow.

Just be careful and take your time.

WV "crousabl" Either something that can be croused or something only Crous can do.

I've walked into work and MAN are the roads gawd-awful. Monroe St in front of the old Jingles is just packed snow almost packed down to ice. When the temperature drops to zero tonight and everything freezes solid....

My grandfather insisted on shoveling his driveway into his eighties, even though his kids all chipped in and got him an electric-start Toro. To him, shoveling one's driveway by hand was part of being a man.

He finally gave it up when Grandmother decided it was time to move into an old folk's home. Despite having carried a considerable potbelly for most of his life, he made it to 92.

Can't wait to get home and find the front of my driveway 5 feet of solid hard pack from the plows.

I am so happy I got my gift from the snow plow cleared already. My street is usually the last to get done, but this morning there was some kind of problem with the water/sewer line so they did it about 6 am.

My grandfather insisted on shoveling his driveway into his eighties, even though his kids all chipped in and got him an electric-start Toro. To him, shoveling one's driveway by hand was part of being a man.

He finally gave it up when Grandmother decided it was time to move into an old folk's home. Despite having carried a considerable potbelly for most of his life, he made it to 92.

Good for him. If it didn't hurt him at all, he's a better man than many.

Sad to say, there are guys in their 30s and 40s dropping over trying to do it the old way.

The wind has died down somewhat. Looking at my windmill, I see NW winds. Cold, cold temps on the way. Algore says that the arctic ice is melting, faster than ever, so we just have to wait for the warm up, which will soon arrive.

Wait a minute, if it's 8º in Star Prairie, WI, how can it be warmer 1000 miles north of here? I'm like, totally confused.

So we XC skied up and down the street in front of the car, then threw the skis in the car and went over to Picnic Point. I have now skied approximately 1 mile, and I'm getting the hang of it, haven't fallen yet, and I'm looking to get more relaxed and fluid.